4 Comments by J Gans

Bunker are more valuable to Long Island left in the water. You don't have to be scientist or a fisheries manager to know that having more striped bass, more whales, more shore birds are good for the local economy. Bunker feed all these species. More bunker means more of everything! Ask the boat mechanics, charter captains, hotel employees, restaurants what happens when commercial and recreational fishing dries up.. When predators that feed on bunker are in our waters, the fishing is better and our economy is stronger. "
Nov 1, 17 10:35 AM

The commercial harvest of Striped Bass in New York should move to hook and line only. Without the use of gill nets It would take longer to fill the New York Striped Bass quota but it would limit the by-catch in the nets of untargeted species including whales and sharks.

You are right that fisheries managers do not factor in other species when setting catch limits for bunker or other forage fish. The Atlantic States Fisheries Commission (ASFMC) will vote in early 2020 on whether to change this policy and move to a more comprehensive model that will factor in predator/prey relationships. If you want the population of striped bass to be considered when setting bunker catch limits contact the New York State ASFMC Commissioners and let them know you want bunker (menhaden) to be managed using ERPs (Ecosystem Reference Points).Jim Gilmore: james.gilmore@dec.ny.govEmerson Hasbrouck : ech12@cornell.eduJohn McMurray : johnmcmurray@optonline.net"
Jul 18, 19 3:53 PM

I hope you are right about the come back. The 2018 stock assessment tells a very different story. Striped Bass are overfished. The population is low enough that it has tripped an important management threshold. There will be a mandated 18% reduction in catch for the 2020 season and new minimum size restrictions.

Around 90% of fish caught by recreational anglers are released alive. Catch and release fishing has long been perceived as having minimal impact on the population, but the facts are that 48% of the fish killed coastwide each year come from released fish. All anglers have to help to reduce this number. Keep fishing, but just be more careful with what you catch. If you fish with bait, use circle hooks, if you use light tackle, minimize the fight. When fishing from shore, don’t drag them up on the sand or over rocks. Those fish are going to die after you throw them back. Mandatory circle hooks for bait fisherman and reduced use of treble hooks would go a long way to reducing post release mortality."
Sep 4, 19 3:13 PM